Arch maintenance

[ebliese]

So, when your arch needs to be repainted in spots, what do you use? My arch has some rust spots on it. The spots which need to be repainted I did get the rust off, prime, and then paint last summer with a 2000*F paint from Lowe's but the paint hasn't really lasted. Maybe I did something wrong?

In regards to re-bricking an arch, can you re-use the firebrick or do you have to get new firebrick? How long should a bricking last? The mortar only lasted a few years and I've only had the arch for four years. Wondering if there's some tips to help a bricking last longer. My understanding is the firebrick mainly helps to protect the insulation so last season although the bricks were loose, I still ran the arch.

[maple flats]

I'm not sure but on my 3x8 I bricked it in 2007 and used it every year til 2022. In that time I never rechecked the brick. When I sold that evaporator in 2022 I removed the firebrick, some was loose, most had to very gently be knocked to loosen and I then boxed it to go with the arch and evaporator. Some were cracked but they still seemed to do ok protecting the sheet metal sides, which were all galvanized sheet metal and had lots of rust mostly around the firebox portion. A little on the rest.
I wouldn't be concerned with loose or cracked bricks unless they are falling out of place. one thing on that is that in all that time I never threw wood in so it hit the bricks. At most wood gently fell against the sides.

[amasonry]

You could try stove black in a tube, it rubs on with a cloth or wire brush. for the bricks used are fine. brick doesn't go bad. probably don't need refractory cement unless they will not stay in place. put fire blanket behind the bricks and dry lay the bricks. just my 2 cents

[RC Maple]

So, when your arch needs to be repainted in spots, what do you use?

My barrel stove and the stovepipe get prepped and painted as my next to last step in my season cleanup process. The portion of the evaporator side closest to the drawoff always has some syrup splattered there and that gets removed first. Some of the black stovepipe below the double wall stainless always gets the paint burnt off so the whole section of black stovepipe gets wiped down and a fresh coat of paint. Lastly, the door in the front is not insulated so it has no paint by seasons end. It gets the same treatment as the stovepipe. There are always some other spots that have some paint flake here or there and the whole rig gets a fresh coat of paint. I like the BBQ black from Ace. It doesn't look flat but has a nice sheen to it and is made for high temps.